Behind Enemy Lines
by actlikesummer
Summary: As much as Jakes tried to deny it, Charlie was right: Graceland is your family and though she moved states away, Hannah Briggs still longs for the beach and the family that she grew to love. But you have to be careful what you wish for. Because with the good, usually comes the bad.
1. Intro

**Here it is! Finally, the sequel to "A Few Worlds, One Family" has arrived. This story, like the last one, focuses mainly on Hannah and what is happening in her life, but we'll still get to see our favorite agents! No worries there, my friends.**

**I really hope you enjoy this story. I am in the process of writing out everything but I thought I would post the intro for you guys. Again, let me know if there is anything you want to happen/see in this story. I'll do my best and I am always looking for ideas!**

**Thanks guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

The sun was shining through the windows, breaking the string of cloudy days that had hit Washington D.C. in the last week. Winter was just around the corner, but the birds still chirped happily which counteracted the groan that came from the woman who had yet to get out of bed. Finally, after a few minutes, she sighed and rolled herself into a standing position, forcing herself to change into running clothes. Once she had her laces tied, she sighed again and blinked the sleep away from her eyes. Looking in the mirror as she pulled back her red-brown hair, she looked at her appearance. It was definitely different than it had been as she was growing up.

The pavement and busy streets of her area were vastly different from the sandy beach that she used to run on. But after nearly three years of living in D.C., she had gotten used to it. Still, she longed for the day when she could run on the beach again. She missed the sound of waves crashing together, and the salty air. She missed the surfing, the shopping, and the food. But mostly, Hannah missed her family.

It hadn't been an easy childhood for Hannah Briggs, but her adult life had been different. Ever since she moved to L.A. and officially became a Briggs she felt a huge sense of relief as the stress had lifted. Her past hadn't completely gone away from her mind, but on a scale of one to one hundred it barely registered.

As she ran, Hannah thought about her best friend, whose call she had to make time for during her lunch break. Ever since moving to England, Rina hadn't had the best schedule, so the girls had to get a word in somehow. Hannah was sad when she left the country, but she was proud that her best friend was one of the most famous (and youngest) professional photographers that celebrities could get their hands on. Rina's life, it seemed, changed just as quickly as Hannah's had. Not only had she gained fame status with her photography, but she and Stacey had stayed together and ended up married.

Hannah smiled as she remembered the small, private ceremony that brought two of her closest friends together. Hannah had been, to no one's surprise, her maid of honor. In a huge surprise, she had asked Briggs to walk her down the aisle, which he wasn't expecting but was very happy to do. Not long after the wedding, another joy hit their family. Rina and Stacey had a baby girl. After searching for the perfect 'father', they finally decided that the perfect person to ask had been in front of them the entire time; and after some shocked hesitation, Tanner was beyond happy to do it. It was from that event that Lily Hannah Campbell was born.

She let her thought shift calmly to her oldest male friend. It hadn't been as awkward seeing Tanner as some people might have thought. Once the initial hurt had passed, they actually kept in pretty good contact, and Hannah had flown out to see a few of his football games. Just as she was of Rina, she was proud of Tanner's big accomplishments. He continued with football throughout college, and was quickly snatched up for the professionals. He had moved to a few different teams, however, he seemed to be the perfect fit for his newest team, the Chicago Bears.

Unlike Rina, Hannah and Tanner had stayed unmarried as of yet. Though their friend had hoped that things would work out between them romantically, she was happy to know that they were still good friends. Hannah sighed as she made her way back home and remembered Tanner was dating a cheerleader the last time they spoke. As she slowed to a walk, she wondered whether that relationship was still going or if it had ended as quickly as it had started.

It made her sad to know that she didn't see or talk to her friends as much anymore, but as their jobs took them all in different directions, she knew that whatever she could get, she would take. As she walked back into her apartment, she chuckled at her newer friends, who also happened to be her roommates.

Skylar Tate and Jeremy Epkot had gone through the academy with her. They had graduated their training together and when it came time to find a place to live, they found it was easier to split the rent and live together as well.

Their apartment wasn't huge, which saved them money, but it seemed just big enough for their comfort. The living room was a big open area that connected to the kitchen, while there was a small hallway that held four doors: the bathroom, Jeremy's room, Skyler's room, and Hannah's room.

Hannah sighed as Skylar's puppy ran over to her and started licking her ankles. Reaching down to pet his small head, she walked into the kitchen area shaking her head. "What mutated concoction are you cooking up this time, Jay?"

He simply smiled at her. "Don't act as if my food is bad. You always end up loving it."

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a quick splash of water before turning towards the bathroom. "Where's Sky?"

He shrugged. "I think she's still in her room. I heard her knock something over earlier, but that's all."

Hannah chuckled as she closed the bathroom door to shower. "Well she better hurry up! We're going to be late if we end up waiting for her again!"

Not waiting for a response, she turned the water on and let her mind wander once more to the beach.

…

Hannah twirled a strand of hair between her fingers as she filled out a few reports at her desk. Once she had finished at the academy, her smarts and past had been recognized as she was asked to work directly under the Director in the Washington D.C. Headquarters.

Just as she was finishing her paperwork, one of the interns walked past. "Agent Briggs, the Director would like to see you in his office immediately."

She nodded and grabbed her files. As long as she was headed there, she may as well bring him the paperwork. Walking into his office, he nodded at her.

"Ah, Agent Briggs. I see you are as prompt as always." He smiled at her and she nodded.

"Well when someone tells you the Director of the FBI wants to see you, you don't go out for a cheeseburger." She smiled. "I'm sorry, that was a really bad joke."

He chuckled and shook his head. "No it's wasn't."

As she sat in the chair across from his desk, she handed him the files she had brought with her. "It was lucky for me I finished these right as I was told to come in here. It saves us some time."

He nodded and then his face turned serious. "Agent Briggs, there is something we need to discuss."

Now Hannah grew worried. Although she had a pretty nice job for someone of her age, she had only been working there for three years, and she was suddenly nervous that she had done something wrong.

"What is it, sir?" Her voice perfectly masked her true feelings, a trick she had learned way before she had left Massachusetts.

"I thought you should know that this will be the last assignment you do in Headquarters." He paused as Hannah's heart stopped. "You've been put in for a transfer."

Hannah paused for a moment as she took this information in. She couldn't believe it. Everything she had worked so hard for in the last few years was suddenly crashing down around her. Dear God, she was Paul Briggs' daughter…what would everyone say? What would he say? She had failed and she didn't even know how.

Finally, she allowed herself to nod. "Can I ask why sir?"

"It seems your specific skill set will be quite useful in a different location." Then he sighed and folded his hands over the folders. "I have to say…I'm sincerely going to miss you and your brains around here."

She swallowed the panic rising in her throat. "May I ask who set the transfer, sir?"

He nodded and then allowed a smile onto his face. Hannah's eyes burrowed in confusion as a door to the right of his office opened. "I did."

Hannah froze once more, though this time her heart sped up. Turning slowly, she smiled. "I should have known."

Staring back at her, Mike smiled from the doorway. It had been almost a year since they had seen each other, but the love was still there. After becoming Assistant Director in Charge at the L.A. Division, she wasn't surprised to see that he wanted her.

Forgetting the atmosphere, she laughed and hugged him. Then, remembering where she was, she pulled back. "I'm sorry. That was unprofessional."

The director waved his hand at her. "It's fine. He's family. Even I understand what it is like to be separated from your family."

She nodded as they all sat again. "So…I mean, I'm glad he is here and all but…why now? I've only been here for three years."

The director nodded and looked back at Mike. "Would you like to explain?"

Nodding, he stood again and grabbed a file from his bag. "In the past few months, we've been working on bringing together a project that we've found extremely successful. However, it is based down in L.A. so you would need to move back there. We want you to help us get the project underway and help us put together a team that is willing and able to do a good job in their new assignments. We want you to lead this, Hannah."

Again Hannah was confused. "But, why me? Like I said I've only been here for three years."

Mike nodded. "Yes but you have a high IQ, you were at the top of your class for gun control," she saw him smirk a little, "and you broke your dad's record on your practical."

It was Hannah's turn to smirk. "Yeah, he wasn't happy about that one." Actually, that wasn't true. When Briggs found out that she had gotten a higher score than he did, he was ecstatic.

"Hannah you are perfect for this assignment. We want you on board before we go through with this." The director told her and she nodded.

"Okay. What's the assignment?" She asked back in business mode.

At this, Mike turned his back to the director and smiled at her. "Take a look."

She took the file from his hand and the second her eyes scanned the page her face whipped up to look at his. "Are you serious?" He nodded. "I can't believe it."

"Believe it. It's happening." Mike chuckled and Hannah sighed once more.

She looked down again and stared at the single largest word on the page, next to the word assignment: Graceland.


	2. Decisions, Decisions

**Okay so this is kind of a weaker chapter in my opinion, but it will get better when she finally gets to LA! I wanted to get a lot of the recapping and minor information out of the way and this chapter helped me to do so. So...sorry. haha**

**Let me know what you think and what you might want to see!**

* * *

Hannah couldn't stop her mind from racing as she sat in the passenger seat of Mike's car. After her hesitation and shock, Mike decided to take her home and convince her to accept the assignment. It wasn't that she didn't want it, but she was afraid.

"What are you thinking?" He asked and she was shaken from her thoughts.

She shrugged. "I'm…in shock, honestly. I never thought this would happen."

"Really? You never thought this could be a possibility when I was promoted?" He asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Again she shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just never thought about it."

They lapsed into silence again as he parked outside of her building. Climbing out, Hannah chuckled. "I hope you're up to a climb."

He waited as she unlocked the door and came face to face with stairs. "No elevator?"

She smiled. "Nope." Then she started up the stairs. "By the way, we live on the fifth floor."

The walk didn't bother either of them, but when they finally made it into the apartment Mike smirked at her. "Nice place."

She nodded. "It is. I'm glad I have Sky and Jay here too. It sort of brings back memories."

"You know, as much as you like this apartment, I bet you'll like the house we got for Graceland even more." He teased as they walked to the kitchen.

Setting down the food the food they picked up for dinner, Hannah collapsed into a chair. "Mike…"

Pulling out his phone, he shoved a picture in her face. She was about to speak and then stopped, her mouth hanging open. "Yep…that's what I thought."

"But how?" She finally asked.

Sitting down next to her, he smiled. "It came on the market when we were looking for a place. I knew that would catch your interest." Then he sighed. "The house has barely changed. The only work that was done was with your bedroom and Briggs' room. They knocked out the wall between them and made it one big room. Then they added a room. You're going home, Hannah."

She paused and looked down. "Well I…"

"Talk to me, Hannah. I thought you'd be all over this." Mike said concerned. "What's the problem?"

"I'm just…worried. I've only been in the FBI for a few years and I don't want to fail…" She trailed off. "I can't fail, Mike. I have some big shoes to fill."

He sighed and grabbed her hand. "Hannah…you could never do anything to make any of us be anything but proud of you. Look at how far you've come since you moved to California. Whatever you do, we support you."

She nodded then stood to get drinks for them. "So how is everyone?"

Knowing the subject was dropped for now, he sat back in his chair. "They are good! Paige is moving up at the DEA and she loves it."

"How are Erin and Alex? How old are they now?" She asked with a smile.

"Alex is five and Erin just turned two." He chuckled. "They are growing up too fast."

"He's five? Oh my gosh! I miss them." She sighed. "What about everyone else?"

"Well your dad and Charlie are both good. I think Briggs still misses the beach, but he misses you more." Mike smirked. "You know he's still talking about your graduation ceremony…Dr. Briggs."

"He is not! That was months ago! And don't call me that. I'm Hannah or Agent Briggs to you." She put her face in her hands. "It's not a big deal. I worked for it just as much as everyone else. Night school classes while working at the FBI? Not easy…"

Enjoying her embarrassment, Mike continued. "Jakes is still single but the big news is that Cassandra finally let him have partial custody of Daniel."

"Did she really? Thank God. I bet he loves that." Hannah said and set a glass of water in front of him.

Mike nodded. "They both do. Then there's Johnny. He and Ava are doing well." Then he paused. "Have you talked to him or your parents lately?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "No…should I have?"

Mike grinned. "Ava's pregnant."

"No!" Hannah laughed and held a hand to her mouth. "Johnny's going to be a daddy? That's priceless and amazing! When did they find out?"

"Just before I left L.A. to come here. He's so excited. He's been bouncing off the walls since he found out." Mike shook his head. "He's crazy."

"It's cute." She smiled.

Mike watched her as she took in the news and couldn't believe how grown up she looked. He still remembered her being the scared teenager that moved into the house. "So…nice hair."

Hannah groaned. "I was hoping you wouldn't say anything."

"Of course I had to say something!" Then he smiled warmly. "The red looks great on you, Hannah."

She shrugged. "I was going for a trim and wanted a change. It was sort of an impulse, but I like it."

"It seriously looks good on you. Have you told your parents yet?" He watched her shake her head with guilt in her eyes. "They are going to be surprised when you do."

"Yeah well, I've only had it for a week, so they'll find out soon enough." She stood and walked to the window. "Tell me about the assignment."

Understanding that she wanted to talk work, he changed his voice. "Well you'll be back in the house again. You are the only one we have so far."

"Just me? What about the other agents?" She asked quickly.

"We want you to help us pick them." He paused. "Hannah your dad took the lead when Graceland opened…we want that to be you this time. You grew up at Graceland and you know how it works. You can teach the other agents how it goes and what happens in the house. You have the smarts, the know-how, the street-smarts, and you've been through more than most agents could even imagine."

She stayed silent, so he stood and walked over to her. Hugging her, he sighed. "Hannah you are perfect for this." He pulled back and looked at her. "You know I wouldn't have chosen you for this if I didn't know for sure you could handle this."

"Mike…"

"Come home, Hannah. Your family misses you." He said quietly.

She thought about it for a second and then took a deep breath. Letting it out, she turned to speak, but the door opened and her roommates walked in, flustered.

"What the hell, Hannah?" Jay exclaimed. "You could have told us you left."

"Calm down, Jay. She obviously had something to take care of." Sky said and smiled at Mike. "Welcome to our home."

Shaking her head, Hannah nodded. "Skylar, Jeremy…this is Mike Warren. He is the Assistant Director in Charge at the Los Angeles Headquarters."

"You must be Hannah's roommates. Nice to meet you." Mike shook their hands and smiled.

"Is everything okay, Hannah? You never leave work early." Jay said concerned and Hannah sighed.

Looking back at Mike, she shrugged at her friends. "I'm transferring."

…

Hannah sighed as she buckled her seat belt so that the plane could land. It had been over a year since she had been in this position and her stomach was filled with butterflies. No matter how many times she did this, she still felt like the scared girl who took her first plane to find a better life.

"Are you okay?"

Hannah turned and smiled at the woman next to her. "Yes, I'm sorry. I haven't been home in over a year and I'm just…nervous."

"You're excited." The woman smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Marissa."

"Hannah." She chuckled. "And yes…I'm extremely excited. I'm moving back home for work and it's weird. I've been gone for a few years, so it will be weird to be back again."

"Are you seeing your parents?" She watched Hannah nod with an unconscious smile. "Well I have kids of my own, and I can tell you that no matter what, it will be a great homecoming. I know your parents miss you and being able to see you after such a long time will be the best thing they've gone through lately. I promise."

Hannah bit her lip. "Thank you." She didn't even realize that her butterflies were starting to disappear.

…

Hannah let out a breath as she plopped down on a bench with her bags. Pulling out her phone, she checked her messages to see who was being sent to pick her up. She figured it might be Ava, as everyone was working.

She was so caught up in her phone that she didn't even notice the footsteps approaching her. "Since when did you dye your hair?"

Hannah's head whipped up to look at the owner of the voice that had just spoken to her. "Since like two weeks ago." Then she smiled and abandoned her luggage in order to throw herself at her father.

"Daddy!"

Briggs laughed and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Spinning her around, he held his daughter in his arms. "Welcome home, Hops."


	3. She's Back!

**I'm sorry it's been so long! I had midterms and a research paper, and other stuff I had to work on. I'm so sorry. I am also planning a Narnia fanfiction, so if you're a fan, look out for that!**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

As they sat in the diner where they had their first meal together all those years ago, Briggs studied his daughter. Though they had seen each other many times over the last few years, it was a completely different feeling knowing she would be staying this time. It was also something he was over the moon about, as having your child live on the other side of the country wasn't always easy on a parent. And that's exactly what he was—a parent.

It hadn't even been a question when he decided to adopt her. It was something of instinct that needed to be done and nobody had even blinked in protest. Though some people may have though the whole situation to be awkward, there wasn't one person in their little family that questioned it. He was her father; it wasn't science, it was fact.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched her eat and talk animatedly. The last time they had sat there she had barely spoken for fear of being sent home. Now she was back home, the only home that mattered, and looking happier than he had seen her since the adoption. She had grown up, that was for sure, and he felt an odd sense of sadness knowing she could take care of herself, without always relying on him.

"Dad?" He blinked back into focus and looked at her smirk. "You were doing it again."

He shrugged. "It's just great to have you home, Hannah. It's been too long."

"I'm really happy to be back. I'm still nervous that I'll screw something up, but I'm happy to be a part of it." She said with a full smile this time.

"Baby you'll be fine. You know what it means to be at Graceland. You really are the perfect person for the job." Then he sighed. "And don't worry, I'll always be around you kick your butt into shape if you need it."

"Well I think my boss will probably really like that." She added and he chuckled.

"Yes he will. He will always love kicking your butt at surfing once you get settled in." He watched her grow confused and nodded. "He just asked me."

"Are you serious? I didn't think they would let you do that!" She laughed. "Mike must have pulled a lot of strings."

"Well he is the director…he can do those kinds of things." Then Briggs sighed as he laid money on the table. "Now come on, Charlie should be home by now and she's dying to see you."

Hannah smiled. "Well good, because I'm dying to see her too."

They stood, and Briggs draped an arm around his daughter. It's good to have you home."

"It's really good to be home."

…

Hannah laughed as she looked around her temporary room. She would only be staying there until she could move into the house the following week, but she was happy to have some familiar place to stay until she did. She was just finishing putting away some clothes when a large body tackled her to the ground.

Laughing, she wrestled with it. "BD!"

As she played with her dog, she didn't notice her parents smiling at her from the doorway. Her reunion with Charlie had been long and almost tearful, but they both had loved it. Though she wasn't her mother by blood, she was by heart and would be the only mother that Hannah recognized as her own. She was the only mother that mattered.

"It's so good to have her home." Charlie told Briggs as they watched their daughter laugh.

He nodded and put his arm around her. "I can still see the teenager in her when she acts like this. She's so grown up now and so serious about her job, I forget she can still act like this. It's good to see her happy."

They both remembered a time when she wouldn't have dared to be that relaxed. But that time was long gone and they felt their hearts warm as they watched their daughter play with her dog, just the way a child should.

…

After her impromptu wrestling match, Hannah had taken a shower and changed for dinner. It was the first time in a year she would be seeing her entire family and she was excited. Twisting her hair into a bun and fixing her glasses, she walked around the living room and looked at the pictures her parents had used to decorate.

She smiled at the images of her family, but the ones that really got to her were the ones that Rina had taken during her first year of living there. They had once hung on the wall at the beach house as a reminder that they were a family and she really did belong. Seeing them now brought that same feeling back to her and she was glad that he had a family to rely on when she needed them.

Walking into the kitchen, she leaned against the wall and watched her mom cook. "Need any help?"

Charlie smiled and nodded. "You could help me make the noodles and garlic bread. It will go good with our sauce."

Hannah chuckled. "You know everyone still bugs me about that recipe…but I'm a tough nut to crack."

"Good. That recipe stays with each generation of DeMarco children. It's a high honor to hold that knowledge." She said with fake intimidation, making Hannah hug her. "What's this for?"

"I missed you, Mom."

"Well I missed you too." She smiled. "Now make that bread. We've got people coming over and it has to be perfect for your welcome home dinner!"

"Yes, Mom."

…

As everyone arrived, Hannah had a different reaction. For Jakes, she hugged him and they talked about her transfer and everything that had happened since he'd seen her last. When Mike and Paige arrived, she smiled at Mike and squealed as she hugged Paige. Then they waited for Johnny and Ava, who were running late.

When they finally did arrive, Hannah smirked from behind the book she had sat down to read a bit of. When Johnny saw her, he clicked his tongue in disgust and grabbed it out of her hands.

"Not again…what is with you and this brick?" Shaking his head, he chucked it so it landed behind the couch, making Hannah laugh.

"Hi Johnny." She smiled and stood to hug him. "I missed you too."

Once they were all seated for dinner, Hannah filled them in on everything that had happened and in the last year and the women planned to have a girls' day very soon. Once the small talk was over, Hannah's eyes met Mike's and he nodded.

"So there is actually something that we should talk about." He started and looked at his friends. "I'm reopening Graceland."

Paige looked at him. "How could you not tell me that?"

He smiled. "It was still a work in progress until recently. Once we figured out our main detail, we official reinstated the project."

"Bro…that's huge." Johnny said.

"Yeah man, I mean, how did that go down?" Jakes asked form next to Hannah.

She tried hard not to smirk as they asked their questions and Mike seemed to be dragging the facts out as long as possible.

"We managed to get the house back. It was for sale and it works out perfectly." Mike told them. "We figured everyone here could know about it, as we were all at Graceland. As for Ava," he smiled at her. "She's known about our past there and she knows that Hannah is in the FBI. She can keep this secret, I'm sure."

Ava nodded. "But…why would it matter if I know Hannah is an agent? That's not a secret, is it?"

"Wait…who are you having lead this thing? I mean…we had Briggs. Who knows enough about it to lead this time?" Johnny asked.

"They'll have Briggs. Just a different Briggs." Mike shifted his gaze so he was once again looking at Hannah. "Ava, to answer your question, it matters…because she was our deciding detail."

They all turned to look at her and she smiled. "What we didn't tell you is that I am not home to visit. I am home to stay. I'll be moving into the house next week and during that time, I will help everyone choose the other agents that I will work with." Then, after getting another go ahead from Mike, she looked at her family.

"Mike didn't say anything because he knew I'd want to. Dad is going to be in charge of us FBI agents, but we were hoping that Paige and Jakes would take over for the DEA and Customs." She watched them nod.

"Of course." Paige said as Jakes shrugged.

"Why not?"

…

"It's so weird being back here."

Briggs nodded his agreement as he helped carry Hannah's bags into the house. They looked around at the furnished room and it looked a lot like it had when they had left it. Hannah took everything in for a moment before climbing the stairs and heading towards the room she had already chosen as her own.

"I thought you would probably pick this one." Briggs smiled and looked around what used to be their bedrooms. "It brings back memories of living here, though it's weird to think this used to be two rooms."

Hannah shrugged. "It makes it better, and was an easier decision for me to make."

He nodded and after helping her settle in, turned to her. "Are you going to be okay here alone? It's a big house."

She smiled. "I'll be fine, Dad. We've chosen our agents and they'll all be here in a few days. I can handle it."

She continued to reassure him until he left and then turned to look around the deserted house. "Home sweet home."


	4. The Next Generation

**I'm sorry for the long wait! Midterms, spring break, getting locked out of my account (thanks a lot, person who reported me, if you're reading this), and a crazy school time...I'm very stressed. However I promise I will keep working on this story whenever I can! I hope this chapter is good, I wanted to introduce the new people now because the next chapter starts our actual story-2 years later! Enjoy and let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own 'Graceland' or the characters that you recognize from the show.**

* * *

Hannah fanned herself as she opened the oven and grabbed the contents from within. She had been alone in the house for a week now, and the silence and flashbacks had been getting to her. Someone from the group had come by every day to "not" check up on her, they all swore, but she loved them for it.

When she heard the door open at the front of the house, she knew it had to be Briggs. She had known that he was bringing their first new agent home today and she was very interested to see how the interaction would go.

She finished transferring the hot meal to a separate tray when they walked in, and she smiled at them. "Well look who's finally here."

The man next to her father smirked and nodded. "Ah the thing I like most: a hot woman with a meal."

Briggs winced from next to him and watched as Hannah, whose smile didn't waver as she sipped her coffee, walked forward to greet him. When she was in front of him, she cocked an eyebrow. "Oh you like hot things do you? What do you think about this?"

Tossing the hot contents of her coffee at him, she set her hands on her hips and watched him shout in surprise and pain. "What the hell?"

"Welcome to Graceland." She smirked.

He stared at her before turning to look at Briggs. "Isn't this technically assaulting an agent?"

"First off, around here we're equals. Second, you might want to practice not mentioning the whole agent thing. That's the whole point of this project." She told him before she walked back to the counter to tend the food.

He didn't know what to say and Briggs just shook his head while walking to the counter and picking off a piece of whatever she was making while her back was turned. The new agent watched as Hannah turned and scoffed at him before smacking Briggs' hand sharply.

"Get your hands off of my dinner. If you're staying, grabs some plates. If not, don't touch." She said with a warning tone and Eli was shocked that anyone could get away with talking to a man like Briggs like that, let alone their boss.

Holding in a chuckle at the young man's confused expression, Briggs sighed. "Eli Lee, DEA, meet Hannah Briggs, FBI."

This time Eli's gasp was out of shock. "You're Hannah Briggs? As in…"

He watched as both the older agent and his assailant nodded with near-identical smirks. "That would be daughter and your new housemate."

"Like I said, welcome to Graceland." She smiled warmly this time, all hints of her previous assault gone from her mind. "If you're wondering, you _can_ have this food. He has to work for it." Seeing that he hadn't moved yet, she sighed. "If you want to get settled in first, you can take your stuff upstairs. My room is the one with the closed door, but all the other rooms are up for grabs. You can choose whichever one you want. This food will be here whenever you get hungry and if you want take out, I can get you some numbers or directions."

"As much as I'd love to stay, my wife would kill me if I didn't report home to walk the dog." He said with a joking tone before turning to Eli. "Word of advice? Don't do anything stupid. I don't say this as a threat but a warning—she'll kick your ass before you can even blink. Trust me…it's not pleasant. Otherwise, you're in good hands here."

Winking at Hannah, he ripped a piece of food off of the tray and ran out as she threw a ladle at him. "You better run!"

Laughing, she shook her head and faced Eli. "Are you okay? You look a little spooked."

Shaking out of his shocked state, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm just a little confused."

"I get that. Why don't you go settle in and when you come down to eat I can answer any questions or concerns you might have. I'm just going to clean up down here for a bit while the food cools." She said in a friendly tone.

…

When he stepped back down the stairs a little while later, she was standing at a small desk rearranging some frames. In the mirror's reflection he could see that she had donned a pair of thick black glasses, though the look made her look no less stunning than she had been an hour before.

He didn't say anything as he walked into the room and when she looked up and caught sight of him in the mirror she jolted and turned, crashing into the desk and staring at him wide-eyed. Immediately, he felt bad. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, or more honestly, she couldn't. Her voice had gotten lodged in her throat and she felt as though the only way it would get out was if she threw it up. Her stomach seemed to agree and she forced herself to settle it before nodding to his question.

"Rule one of Graceland," she said and cursed herself for how shaky her voice sounded. "Do not sneak up on me in a mirror."

He nodded quickly and walked forward. "Agent Briggs, sit down, you're really pale."

Shaking her head, she noticed that her heart rate was slowing down, and she moved away from the desk. "My dad is Agent Briggs. Call me Hannah." Holding her hand out to him she forced herself to remember that he was not Jason, though her last encounter with someone in the mirror hadn't been fixed this easily.

"I'm sorry, Hannah. I should have said something when I walked in. I didn't mean to startle you." He said seriously and watched her face for any more signs of fear. "I also didn't mean that comment earlier to sound like it did. I didn't realize that you were an agent. I should have."

She nodded and moved towards her plate of food. "It's okay, I knew that. But I'm highly sarcastic and volatile, so be forewarned." She shrugged. "Anyway, let's eat. You can ask me anything you want to know."

As they faced each other at the counter, he eyed her. "Okay first question, why do I get the feeling you didn't jolt out of momentary shock but in a terrified panic?"

Looking down she sighed. "Let's just say the last time someone snuck up behind me in that mirror, I had to jump off of a building to get away from him."

He wanted to know more, but didn't press it. "Interesting…so you're Paul Briggs' daughter? I did a report on him in high school and I didn't know he had a daughter."

Now she smirked again. "How long ago was that?"

"About eleven years ago." He said, confused as she nodded.

"Well that makes sense, then, since I wasn't yet his daughter." She shrugged. "It's a long story."

Now his smile grew wide and he looked around. "Well it looks like we've got some time."

Laughing she nodded. "Biologically, he's my uncle. Actually, that's not even true. He was my uncle by marriage, my biological father's step-brother. My parents weren't the best people and a lot of stuff happened. Long story short, when I was sixteen I ran away and tried to find a better life. I ended up here, not knowing he was here for work. One day when I had convinced myself that it was the end for me, he found me and changed my life. The Graceland agents took me in and gave me a real family."

"Well that's some story." Leaning forward, he put his hand on hers, noticing the scars that marred her arms from past pains. "Hannah…I'm glad he found you. Sixteen is way too young to be convinced that it is the end."

Nodding she sighed. "Thank you. I know that now. But my life…hasn't been the easiest. Back then I didn't think it was ever going to change. Now I know that it can." She smiled again. "Anyway, I moved in here and I learned how to be a real teenager. One day, the same day I jumped off of that building actually, it was announced that I was no longer Hannah Del Rio but instead, Hannah Briggs. I've gone by that name ever since."

"How old are you, anyway?" He asked. "With the math you provided in that story, I'm a little confused."

"I'm 26 and the only reason they chose me to head this thing is because I've been here before and know what I'm doing." She said confidently.

He nodded. "I can see that. I think we're going to work well together, Hannah."

"So do I, Eli." She grinned. "Now come on…I know where we can really have some fun."

Grabbing her jacket, she walked out. Eli followed, unsure of where they were headed but already trusting her completely.

…

Over the next week, the rest of the Graceland agents arrived. First came Ripley Staiger (DEA), who reminded Hannah a lot of Jakes. Not to mention that she could already tell the woman didn't like her.

Following her came Bobbie Korenic (Customs), a southern beauty with family money.

Next came Brody Conrad (FBI), a mix of Mike and Johnny in Hannah's eyes, and someone she knew she'd get along with.

Connor MacKay (Customs) moved in next, bringing a quiet mystery with him that left everyone wondering how this arrangement would work out.

Finally, Wyatt Trewin (FBI) arrived, and being the oldest (though only a year compared to Eli and Connor) portrayed the essence of leader. Hannah would have to put a stop to that attitude if it became overbearing, but in the meantime she couldn't bring herself to care.

Each new introduction seemed stressful to the agents already living there, but the first night that everyone had moved in Hannah changed that. It was dark and the waves were crashing against each other when Hannah forced them all out to the beach to sit around a fire.

Taking a sip of her beer, Ripley glared at her. "What the hell is this, rookie?"

Cocking an eyebrow, Hannah glared right back. "First of all, I resent that. Second of all, this is a tradition that has been here since the house was in action the first time."

"I think it's a good idea." Bobbie said from next her seat next to Hannah. "It brings us together and it lets us chill out a bit."

Hannah nodded. "Exactly. Not everyone will always join in but it's fun and there's alcohol. What's better than that?" She joked and got cheers from some of them.

"Why are you 'in charge' anyway?" Ripley asked with air quotes, in the same tone as before, obviously unnerved by having been the unpopular opinion. "You're the youngest of us and barely have experience in the FBI! Who are they kidding using you? Little miss 'my father is an FBI legend and I get everything I want' was probably handed this job on a silver platter."

"Hey!" Eli said quickly. "Stop it. We all have to live together so just lose the attitude, alright?"

Shaking her head at him, she sighed. "I told Eli this story when he moved in. I grew up here. Paul Briggs adopted me at the age of seventeen and I learned how to do this. I know how this job works. I know the rules of this house and how to make it everything it can be." She turned to Ripley. "I was given this job pretty easily. But that is only because I know how it goes and I can help you guys understand it too. This job isn't like your normal government jobs. We have rules and we work…differently, than the typical rulebook will tell you to act. You just have to get used to it. I'm here to help that and because Agent Warren and the Director knew how much this meant to me."

Ripley was about to speak again when Hannah set down her beer. "You know what? No. I'm not going to be walked on by you just because you're a couple years older than me. You want to know the truth? When I was sixteen I ran away from home to escape parents who neglected to take to care of me and an abusive boyfriend to hurt me more than anyone can understand. I came to California to get away from them and almost died because of it. I was attacked one more time after moving in here and because of everything I learned from Graceland, I was able to escape. Graceland is my home and it always will be. I have known how to do this job since I was sixteen years old. I'm staying right where I am and if you have a problem with that, then you can go directly to Assistant Director Mike Warren and get a transfer."

She ended her rant and stared at the other agent, feeling Eli's hand on her shoulder. She hadn't intended on revealing that much about her past, but she knew that there were no secrets at Graceland and had to trust these people.

No one said anything for a minute. But finally, Bobbie cleared her throat quietly. "You really lived here as a teenager?"

Smiling in thanks at Bobbie, she nodded. "I did. It was my home. They took me in with the excuse that I would be the eyes and ears inside the high school, but really I was a normal teenager with six adults taking care of me and I managed to somehow move on from my past. I couldn't have asked for a better experience here."

"Well if we're lucky enough to have someone like you on our side, I'm more than happy I came here." Wyatt tipped his beer at her before taking a sip.

"I agree. Besides, anyone who sees a woman as beautiful as you will definitely not think there are agents living here." Brody grinned at her.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Oh no…you're Johnny."

"Who's Johnny?" Connor wondered quietly.

"Johnny Tuturro. FBI. You'll meet him eventually. You'll meet everyone eventually. They are my family and you can pick their brains whenever you need to." She smiled. "Lord help me."

Laughing, Eli tossed her another beer. "So why don't you enlighten us on these rules you keep blabbing on about?"

"Thanks." She sipped first. "Okay here are the rules. One, no sneaking up behind me in a mirror. Eli learned that the hard way. Two, there is a chore wheel that we will abide by. It keeps order and responsibility in the house. Anyone who fails to do their job will get their butts kicked by the rest of us. Three, no guns downstairs."

"Why? No one will be coming in the house anyway. What's the big deal?" Wyatt asked.

She smirked. "Well that's because of rule four. You can have civilians in the house. However, you have to let everyone else know that they are there and you cannot bring them upstairs. Absolutely not. They have to stay downstairs, so make something up. Also, the gun thing works so that we don't freak each other out and accidentally shoot. It's just easier.

"Rule five, do a heat run before coming back here. Every single time. I don't care if you're coming back from a case or coming back from the bar. Do a heat run. Six, remember that lies are now your life. You live on the stories to create for criminals. Do not get them confused and do not give anything away. If your mother calls you on the weekend and asks how work is going? Lie. If your old friend comes into town and wants to know what's up? Lie. You have to lie. Not only are you protecting yourself, but everyone in this house. We work on lies.

"However, that doesn't apply with each other in this house. Rule seven, the most important rule, is that there are no secrets at Graceland. We have to trust each other if we're going to make this work."

"Those sound reasonable enough." Brody nodded.

"Good. Follow them." Then she sighed. "Listen…this whole thing is going to be tough for a while. We can either act like strangers and go about our days robotically, or we can do this together and create something great. If we pull this off the way the former agents did, we could be creating a family again."

"We have some big shoes to fill, don't we?" Ripley asked, calmer this time.

Hannah nodded and gave her a half smile. "You have no idea."


End file.
